1
as in paradox
someone or something with qualities or features that seem to conflict with one another
a loving father as well as a ruthless killer, the gangster is a living contradiction
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2
as in denial
a refusal to confirm the truth of a statement
the actress's contradiction of the marriage rumor caused quite a stir
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of contradiction
Even senators who voted to confirm Kennedy as a cabinet member now loudly point out contradictions between his confirmation hearing testimony and his actions in office.
—
Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
Each character, from family members to firm associates, complicates Jax’s pursuit of justice while reflecting the contradictions of reality.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 25 Sep. 2025
That’s kind of a contradiction of two ideas.
—Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 23 Sep. 2025
The live-entertainment industry in 2025 is defined by its contradictions.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contradiction
Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 27 Sep. 2025
Each character, from family members to firm associates, complicates Jax’s pursuit of justice while reflecting the contradictions of reality.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 25 Sep. 2025
That’s kind of a contradiction of two ideas.
—Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 23 Sep. 2025
The live-entertainment industry in 2025 is defined by its contradictions.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for contradiction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contradiction
Noun
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Virtual particles are a striking paradox of modern physics.—
Dipangkar Dutta,
The Conversation,
3 Oct. 2025
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That paradox is central to Swift’s gestalt.—
Amanda Petrusich,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For Avraham Burg, an author and former speaker of Israel’s parliament who has become a prominent critic, what lies behind this state of denial in many Jewish Israelis goes far beyond media influence.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
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After weeks of obfuscation and denial, the Chinese government suddenly shut down the city of Wuhan and surrounding regions to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But those early rejections didn’t destroy their confidence.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
5 Oct. 2025
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This over-enthusiasm can backfire, leading to rejection.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Contradiction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contradiction. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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